Me and My Shadows

A Family Memoir

From Lorna Luft, Judy Garland's other daughter, comes the first portrait of one of Hollywood's most celebrated families--and a remarkable chronicle of a woman struggling to overcome a legacy of self-destructive behavior. of photos.

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I have been a big admirer and fan of Old Hollywood, especially a legend like Judy Garland and her extraordinary talent since I was a child. I've always been fascinated with the Garland legend and her story in general compared to most of her contemporaries. I still think the miniseries based on this book is one of the best ever made. After being captivated by it as a pre-teen 12-15 years ago (hard to believe how fast time flies), I decided to finally read the book it was based on.

I enjoyed this book, both parts, including Lorna's adult life. Lorna has had one hell of a life. Would love to see an updated, recent version since it's been almost 20 years since it was first released .The book has a dramatically different tone and attitude than the film, which I did not expect.

Those expecting the book to be like the miniseries, you're in for a surprise (a pleasant one). In fact, I'm surprised (and at the same time I'm not) the film touched on Judy the legend as opposed to what was presented here, which is ironic as Lorna had vehemently stated in the book how she wanted to present the real Judy Garland. She did in the book. You see Judy Garland, the human being, not an addict or legend, but a real woman with a disease. I think anyone with an addiction can relate.

I knew she had issues with prescription drugs, and I knew some of the names, but honestly, I didn't know much about what they did and the effects they have on the body. Lorna's book really gave me some good insight and information on these medications, their short-term and long-term effects and the devastation it can cause. Resulted in me doing more research on it. It makes you feel sick while reading this book, as you can picture just how horrible and awful it would have been to have been addicted to these pills and not being able to stop.

I had seen Lorna's interviews and expected she'd be very honest and blunt, but man, she really was raw and real here. I couldn't put the book down. Some of the stories she told were hilarious, shocking, haunting, and very relatable. You see Judy Garland in an entirely new light, and I'm grateful to Lorna for sharing her story, because on a deeper level, you see how addictions can affect generations of a family.

I could see why Liza and her father at the time were very unhappy with the book. It exposed a lot of details and painful secrets and stories that I was often at times I was quite shocked were shared (for example: Judy & Joe with the Butcher Knife (won't spoil it), or the very detailed chapters on Liza's addiction issues mirroring her mothers).

This was a great read that kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end. Highly recommend it.